From what I was aware when the story first showed, the kid walked onto the dogs territory and tried to take a bone from the dog. I think that's why people were going against the dog being PTS.

I think if the kid wandered off onto the dogs property and got bitten for reaching out to a strange dog, it isn't the dogs fault. But also the person babysitting the kid should have been watching out, especially if it was her dog. I'll re-read the story now to see if it's changed since the first time I read it.

Edit: I see now that the bone wasn't in the dogs mouth but on the floor..but either way I believe the kid shouldn't have been on the property?

But still there are how many pit/pit mixes (and other dogs as well) that wouldn't have gone after the child for picking up the bone? How many of them will be euthed today? Meanwhile 40,000 people are fighting to save this one dog? It's illogical.

That is true, ruffian, but if this was my own dog and someone came onto my property, my dog is worth more to me than all those other dogs. Just because it's one dog, I don't believe in letting him die because others are.

My golden x is more likely by a million to bite someone who goes for his things while my apbt x is more than willing to share all his belongings. I bet if my golden bit a child, it wouldn't be so wrong to try to save him over a pit. There are many pits in shelters, but IF the child went onto this dogs property, the dog shouldn't have to suffer over an irresponsible babysitter because dogs are dying in shelters.

Edit: Because he's a pit, I'm sure a lot of people are seeing the dog as aggressive. I'm sure if a golden retriever bit someone, everyone would say "Goldens are normally such great dogs! It must have been a mistake, please save the dog".

I would also fight for MY dog, but I won't sign a petition for this dog, anywhere I have lived if the dog was properly contained within the property and the child wandered in they couldn't force it to be euthed, as long as it was it's first bite. Here it would be deemed a dangerous dog and have strict regulations for here on out. In Grande Prairie if it had been housed according to the guidelines for pits/pit mixes and dogs deemed dangerous through previous bites this could not have happened.

True, just from what I know, this was the dogs first bite. You can't compare it killing a dog to hurting a child. I know my own boy is VERY DA. I would never ever let him off leash around another dog or even near, but he loves people. The vet said he's usually nervous arounds pits and that my dog had an amazing temperament.

But I think it was the dogs first bite so I don't understand why he should be PTS. I do, however, feel bad for the child. That's not something a child, or anyone should have to go through and I hope he won't be traumatized of dogs.

The kid didn't take the bone from the dog's mouth. The bone was lying on the ground near the dog, and the dog didn't just bite him, he mauled him. That to me points to some major instability and I agree, I don't understand why people are petitioning otherwise. I will be the first to say that dogs bite and it doesn't make them vicious, but again... there's a bite, and there's an attack that will lead to "months and possibly years of reconstructive surgery." Put that effort into the thousands of stable dogs that need help.

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Rowan - 8 year old Brittany
Riff - 4 year old lovable Australian Shepherd/GSP mix

But the owners did surrender him. That's why I don't understand the fight. I also don't agree with shelters going through tens of thousands of dollars to save one dog when that money could be spent to save hundreds of other dogs instead.

I guess that's true, there's a big difference between a bite and a maul. I thought of it that a kid is smaller so a bite would have more impact. But if a dog can do that to a child for no reason (first story said bone was in dogs mouth) then it's not right to keep it from being pts..especially a pit. If it ever attacks again, it's even worse on BSL